5-storey Building Collapses In Anambra

A five-storey building under construction has collapsed in Onitsha, Anambra State’s commercial hub.

The building located at Basden Street, Fegge, Onitsha South local government area of the State, according to sources, caved in on Sunday morning.

Some workers were said to be on the fifth floor working when the building suddenly collapsed.

No casualty had been confirmed as at the time of filing this report on Sunday night even though rescue operations were ongoing.

An escavation equipment had been deployed to the site of the collapsed building, and the entire area had been cordoned off by the operatives of the Anambra State Police Command to further breakdown of law and order.

Managing director of the State Physical Planning Authority, Mr. Chike Mmadumere, who confirmed the incident, stated that only three-storey building structure was approved for the developer, lamenting that the latter started building five-storey building without approval.

Sadly the collapse of the five-storey building meant for commercial purposes occured just about three weeks after a three-storey building also under construction meant for commercial purposes collapsed at nearby Ochanja Market also in the commercial city.

The state governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, had when he visited the site of the collapsed three-storey building handed down an order that no building should be constructed in a market in the state without his approval.

A source said that before the five-storey building collapsed on Sunday, there were signs that it was having structural challenges after a heavy rain that fell in the area on Friday.

It was gathered that after the rain, cracking noises were being heard in parts of the building.